Olivia Wilde Served Custody Papers While Onstage

On Tuesday, April 26, 2022, actress/director Olivia Wilde took the stage at CinemaCon in Las Vegas to premiere the trailer for her upcoming film, “Don’t Worry Darling.” CinemaCon is an annual conference where directors preview coming attractions for movie theater owners.

Midway through her presentation, Wilde was handed an envelope by an unidentified woman in the audience wearing CinemaCon credentials. The envelope was marked “personal and confidential.” Wilde chose to open it in front of thousands of audience members, saying “right. Got it,” before continuing to pitch the trailer for her feature.

The contents of the envelope were proven to be legal documents related to custody over her two children with actor Jason Sudeikis. Wilde and Sudeikis were engaged for seven years before splitting in November of 2020. The former couple shares two children, an eight-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter.

Some felt this was a shocking and unnecessary way to serve legal papers. Many believed that it reflected poorly on Sudeikis, his lawyer, the image of process servers, and the security measures of Hollywood conferences such as CinemaCon. However, those familiar with the field noted that process serving is a necessary element of the legal system, deeply rooted in constitutional rights to due process.

A representative for Sudeikis stated the following day that Sudeikis did not know when or where the papers would be delivered to Wilde, and he would never approve of the manner in which they were served. Matrimonial attorneys believe this reflects a major breakdown in communication between Sudeikis and his lawyer, as lawyers and their clients should remain in close communication about legal proceedings, such as how papers will be served.

According to process serving and matrimonial experts, legal documents should be served in a civilized and private manner, though this is not always possible, as some people avoid being served. The rules of process serving vary from state to state, further complicating issues. In New York for example, an individual cannot be served papers on a Sunday. In the United States, a process server is not allowed to impersonate a police officer, and service must be completed in person and by hand.

It is difficult to know what led up to Wilde being served in this manner. It is possible that celebrities are more difficult to get close to in order to be served in person and handed an envelope. The onstage delivery of papers was may not be the first time a process server had tried to deliver the documents to Wilde. In extreme cases, process servers have no choice but to get creative in order to get the necessary task completed.

Morristown Child Custody Lawyers at Lyons & Associates, P.C. Assist Clients with Co-Parenting and Custody Matters

If you are going through a divorce, or have co-parenting or custody concerns, do not hesitate to contact our Morristown child custody lawyers at Lyons & Associates, P.C. Our compassionate legal team will protect your parental rights. To schedule a free consultation, call us today at 908-975-9777 or contact us online. Located in Somerville and Morristown, New Jersey, we serve clients throughout Somerset, Woodbridge, Morristown, Parsippany, Rockaway, Short Hills, Chatham, Randolph, Madison, and Morris Plains.